Rolling mill frame having a laterally withdrawable roll set

ABSTRACT

For rapidly interchanging the horizontal and vertical rolls of a universal rolling mill frame, two withdrawable assembly units are provided which can be secured to the respective stands of the rolling mill frame and which support the chocks of the rolls in an adjustable manner. The screw-down devices for the vertical rolls are mounted on transverse yokes of the stands and are separate from the assembly units. On the dismounting side of the frame, the transverse yoke together with the respective screwdown device can be displaced to permit lateral withdrawal of the assembly units together with the chocks and rolls mounted therein. The invention is also applicable to two-high rolling mill frames.

ROLLING MILL FRAME HAVING A LATERALLY WITHDRAWABLE ROLL SET [111 3,805,572 [451 Apr. 23, 1974 Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr [75] Inventor: Herbert Busch, Ingbert/Saar, Attorney Agent or Firm-John Dennemeyer Germany 57 ABSTRACT [73] Asslgnee: Moan" Neumann GmbH For rapidly interchanging the horizontal and vertical Ingbert/Saar, Germany rolls-of a universal rolling mill frame, two withdraw- [22] Filed; No 24 72 able assembly units are provided which can be secured to the respective Stands of the rolling mill frame and [21] P Nov 309,282 which support'the chocks of the rolls in an adjustable manner. The screw-down devices for the vertical rolls [52] US. Cl. 72/238 are mounted on transverse Yokes of the stands and are [51] int. Cl B21! 31/08 Separate from the assembly on the dlsmoumlng 581 Field of Search 72/238, 239 Side of the frame, the transverse y together with the respective screw-down device can be displaced to [56] References Cited permit lateral withdrawal of the assembly units to- UNITED STATES PATENTS gether with the chocks and rolls mounted therein. The 3 665 746 5/1972 Elb 72/239 invention is also applicable to two-high rolling mill e I I 3,459,023 8/1969 Adair 72/238 frames 3,675,456 7/1972 Sleurin 72/239 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 32 3 3 I Iran j as i 5 12 '7 r I 30 iii i III PATENTEDAPR 23 m4 SHEU 3 OF 4 gay 2 i PATENTED APR 2 3 m4 SHEET 0F 4 FIIlIlL ROLLING MILL FRAME HAVING A LATERALLY WlTI-IDRAWABLE ROLL SET This invention relates to a rolling mill frame having a laterally withdrawable roll set, and is more particularly concerned with a universal rolling mill frame having adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls which are disposed in a vertical plane and the chocks of which are guided in displaceable Wall members which are adapted to be inserted into the window openings of the two roll stands of the mill frame, wherein recesses are provided in the wall members for providing a direct guide for the chocks of the vertical rolls, and wherein the wall members together 'with'the roll set can be laterally withdrawn. v I

According to the prior art the wall members for providing the direct guide for the chocks of the vertical rolls and for guiding the chocks of the horizontal rolls were component parts of a unitary vertical assembly stand which was formed by the wall members and by transverse yokes connecting these wall members together and which were arranged to receive the vertical screw-down devices (German Pat. No. 1,031,248, U.K. Pat. No. 1,164,253). For the purpose' of interchanging aroll set, the vertical assembly stand and the vertical screw-down devices supported thereby had to bewithdrawn together in this .case towards the dismounting side of the frame. In order torender the rolling mill frame quickly operative again, a second vertical assembly stand includingvertical screw-down devices had to be available which involved considerable costs.

The invention is based on the problem of simplifying in particular the interchange of the rolls ofa universal rolling mill frame in such manner that use of individual wall members for guiding the chocks nevertheless avoids the need for interchanging also the complicated and expensive vertical screw-down devices, that is to say, the latter must be provided only once for each side.

' The invention consists in thatthe wall members comprise two assembly units, one for each stand, which are U-shaped owing to the presence of running wheel axles, the assembly units beingadapted to be releasably secured inthe stands and, after-displacement of a transverse yokelocated on the dismounting side of the mill frame and carrying a screw-down device for a vertical roll, to be withdrawn together with the roll set and associated chocks from the frame wherein at least the displaceable transverse yoke on the dismounting side is adapted to be connected in an easily releasable manner by means of anchor ties to horizontal columns which are cast in one piece with the stand columns.

Owing to the division of the previously unitary verti-- cal assembly stand into two withdrawable U-shaped assembly units, the component parts which are involved in the withdrawal of a roll set are simplified in a weight saving manner. Stiffness and rigidity of the individual assembly units in the stands is ensured by the provision of means for securing them within the stand windows. It is an essential feature that there is no further need for withdrawing also the vertical screw-down devices, since the transverse yokes carrying them are connected to horizontal, integrally cast on columns and at least the transverse yoke on the dismounting side can be easily displaced. A particularly advantageous construction is obtained when the anchor ties for securing the dis- ,placeable transverse yoke are pivotally connected to the horizontal cast-on columns, the transverse yoke being provided with a slot in the region of the one anchortie for permitting the one anchor tie to be pivoted away and the other anchor'tie being arranged to be laterally swung away together with the transverse yoke, wherein the weight of the transverse yoke is supported during the pivotal movement of the latter, for example in that the'transverse yoke is provided with at least one running roller which is supported on a flat horizontal support during the pivotal movement.

The invention comprises also means necessary for securing the individual assembly units within the stand window during the operation of the rolling mill frame. For this purpose it is proposed that the upper ends of the vertical wall members of the assembly units are provided with bevels which are directed towards each other in pairs and which are arranged to be engaged by.

wedge-like securing members which are disposed at the ends of pressure rods linearly guided in upper transverse yokes of the stands. When these pressure rods are adjusted to move downwardly, they force the vertical wall members apart and against the lateral limiting surfaces of the window openings of the stands.

A-rolling mill frame is normally provided with a balancing device engaging the chocks of the upper horizontal rolls by means of tie rods. in order to control these tie rods to move upwardly and the pressure rods which serve for securing the assembly units to move downwardly, the invention provides for each stand a simplified actuation of the counter-moving rods, in the manner that the tie rods and the pressure rods provided with the securing wedge-like members are connected in each stand to a respective common cross beam, and the cross beams are adapted to be. displacedupwardly relatively to the pressure rods by hydraulic power units.

In order to permit the tie rods of the balancing device which remain in the stands to engage the chocks of the upper horizontal roll in an easily releasable manner when a roll set is to be withdrawn, which chocks are also guided by the vertical wall members of the assembly units, the invention provides that the vertical wall members of the assembly units are provided in the region of the chocks of the upper horizontal rolls with recesses-for receiving U-shaped rails-having limbs which are inclined towards each other and of which the lower limbs engage behind projections of the chocks and the upper limbs are engaged from behind by pawls which are pivotally connected in an easily rotatable manner to the tie rods of the balancing device which extend through the upper transverse yokes of the stands.

One constructional example of the invention in the form of a universal rolling mill frame is described below with reference to' the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the rolling mill frame considered in the rolling direction,

FIG. 2 illustrates a vertical section on the line II-Il in FIG. 1 through a stand of the mill frame,

FIG. 3 illustrates a horizontal section on the line III- -III in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 illustrates two assembly units with roll set after withdrawal from the rolling mill frame, in elevation, and

FIG. 5 illustrates a plan view of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a universal rolling mill frame comprising two closed stands 1, 2 which rest on base plates 3. Two horizontal rolls 4, 5 and two vertical rolls 6, 7 are so disposed that their axes are in one vertical plane. The upper horizontal roll 4 is mounted in chocks 8 and the lower horizontal roll is mounted in chocks 9. The rolls 6 and 7 are mounted in chocks l and 11 which may best be seen from FIG. 3.

U-shaped assembly units 12 and 14 are inserted into window openings of the stands 1 and 2; they are arranged to be withdrawn therefrom and their shape can best be seen from FIG. 4. The assembly unit 14 is also shown in section in FIG. 2, and the assembly unit 12 corresponds thereto in a mirror-symmetrical manner.

The assembly unit 14 consists substantially of two vertical wall members 14a and 14.5 the lower ends of which are connected together by two running wheel shafts 15 to form a stiff U-shaped structure. Each running wheel shaft is fitted with a pair of rollers 16 by which the assembly unit 14 is supported on a pair of rails 17 leading according to FIGS. 1 and 4 to a pair of rails 18 which in turn extend to a pair of rails 19 of a rapid changing device which is transversely displaceable.

The spacing of the vertical wall members 14a and 14b of the assembly unit 14 corresponds to the width of the Window opening of the stand 2. In the centre the wall members 14a and 141; have recesses 20 for guiding the chock 10 of the vertical roll 6 associated with the stand 2. Above and below the recesses 20 the wall members 140 and 14b of the assembly unit 14 are constructed in the form of guides for the upper chocks 8 and the lower chocks 9 of the horizontal rolls 4 and 5 respectively.

The assembly units 12 and 14 can be secured in their respective stands during the operation of the rolling mill frame. Referring to the assembly unit 14 illustrated in FIG), it will be seen that the upper ends of the wall members 14a and 1412 are provided with mutually facing bevels 14a and 14b which are arranged to be engaged by vertically guided wedge-like securing members 21, 22 which are fixed to the lower ends of pressure rods 23, 24. These pressure rods are vertically displaceable and linearly guided in an upper transverse yoke 2b of the stand 2. When these pressure rods 23, 24 are controlled to move downwardly, they secure the assembly unit 14 within the associated stand 2 by forcing the respective wall members outwardly and against the stand walls. The assembly unit 12 is secured in the stand 1 in the same manner.

In order to explain the power operated control of the pressure rods 23, 24 reference must be made to a balancing device for the upper horizontal roll chocks. It will be seen that the wall members 14a and 14b are provided in the region of the upper chocks with mutually facing recesses 14a" and 14b. These recesses accommodate U-shaped rails 25 having lower limbs 25a which engage below projections 8a and 8b of the horizontal roll chock 8. The limbs 25a are slightly angled in an upward direction. The other upper limbs 25b of the rails 25 are angled downwardly and are engaged from below by pawls 26, 27 which are pivotally connected to tie rods 30, 31 at 28 and 29, respectively, the tie rods in turn being connected at 32, 33 to a common cross beam 34 which is linearly guided in a vertical plane by means of lateral limbs.35 displaceably disposed between two straight guides 36 (FIG. 1). Furthermore each pressure rod 23, 24 is also connected to the common cross beam 34 by means of a pivotal joint 37 and with the intervention of a hydraulic power unit 38. When these hydraulic power units 38 are actuated to effect a downward displacement of the pressure rods 23, 24 in order to secure the assembly units 12 and 14 in their stands, a reaction force is effective through the cross beams 34 appertaining to each stand in the sense that the tie rods 30, 31 tend to move upwardly for the purpose of balancing the weight of the upper horizontal roll 4 and its chocks 8.

Reference is now made in particular to FIG. 3 which illustrates the system of the vertical rolls with the screw-down devices thereof. FIG. 3 illustrates connecting members 13 which are cast in one piece with the stands 1,2; they are designed to absorb the rolling force from the vertical rolls 6, 7 and serve simultaneously as supports for roll control devices 40 and 41. These roll fittings are omitted from FIGS. 1 and 2 for reasons of clarity and the cast on connecting members 13 are illustrated broken away in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 also illustrates horizontal columns 10 and 2a which are cast in one piece with the respective stands and are connected together by transverse yokes 42 and 43 which serve as supports for the screw-down devices of the vertical rolls 6, 7. In respect of the transverse yoke 42 on the left-hand side of the drawing a screwdown shaft 45 is visible owing to the partial crosssection; the shaft is adjusted by a worm wheel drive 44. Two of such screw-down devices are provided for each transverse yoke 42 and 43. Tie rods 146 are arranged to pull the respective chocks 10 and 11 continuously into engagement with adjustable abutments of the respective screw-down shafts 45. As may also be seen from the left-hand side of FIG. 3, the transverse yoke 42 is arranged to be securely connected to the horizontal columns 1a by means of two anchor ties 46, 47 actuated by hydraulic nuts 48, 49, respectively. The anchor ties are rotatably mounted in the horizontal columns 1a for pivotal displacement in a horizontal plane around respective pins and 51, for which purpose the horizontal columns 111 are recessed at 1a,. It must be noted that the anchor tie 46 can be laterally pivoted away relatively to the transverse yoke owing to the provision of a horizontal slot 42a in the transverse yoke 42, whereas this facility is not provided for the other anchor tie 47. The latter is snugly guided in an opening 42b extending through the transverse yoke 42. This particular constructional feature is provided only in the transverse yoke 42 which is located on the dismounting side of the rolling mill frame, and it serves for the purpose of permitting this transverse yoke together with the anchor tie 47 to be swung about the pivot pin 51, after the anchor tie 46 has been released and pivoted away, in order that the assembly units 12 and 14 together with the horizontal rolls 4, 5 and the vertical rolls 6, 7 together with the chocks thereof can be withdrawn from the frame, the assembly unit rolling on the rails 17, 18 and 19. During the pivotal motion of the transverse yoke 42, the weight thereof must be supported, and for this purpose a crane may be utilised. However, the present constructional example provides that the hydraulic nut 49 of the anchor tie 47 carries a pin 54 on which a roller holder 55 is mounted for two running rollers 56 (FIG. 1). The pair of rollers 56 is supported on a horizontal support 57. Before the transverse yoke 42 on the dismounting side is swung away in the manner described, obviously the tie rod 146 must be released by releasing the pivotal connection 52.

The anchor ties of the transverse yoke 43 which is located on the drive side of the rolling'mill frame are preferably both arranged to be laterally pivoted away to permit the transverse yoke 43 to be dismounted if this should be desirable for any reason. In order to hold the transverse yoke pressed against the horizontal columns 2a when the anchor ties are pivoted away, two hydraulic cylinder-piston devices 58 are provided. These devices are double acting and are thus adapted to serve also for pressing away the released transverse yoke 43, the weight of which is supported by support rails 59 (FIG. 1).

In order to carry an interchange in a rolling mill frame into effect, the following procedure is adopted:

At first the power units 38 associated with the pressure rods 23, 24 are actuated in the sense of withdrawing these pressure rods, whereby the assembly units 12 and 14 are released from their secured state, and the tie rods 30, 31 together'with their pawls 26, 27 are adjusted downwardly, whereafter the pawls can bereleased from-the rails 25 by pivoting them inwardly. Furthermore, screw-down shafts 61 of the main screwdown devices for the upper rolls are controlled upwardly so that screw-down cups 60 consisting of two threaded members are free; After performance ofthese measures the assembly units 12 and 14 are ready for withdrawal. I

Thereafter, the anchor tie 46 on the dismounting side is released by actuation of the hydraulic nut 48 and is laterally pivoted away out of the slot 42a of the transverse yoke 42. After the pivot' pin 52 has been released and the tie rod 146 freed thereby, the transverse yoke 42 can be swung through 90 with the anchor tie 47 still tensioned, the support rollers 56 rolling on the horizontal support 57. The screw-down devices 44, 45 do not take part in the roll change and remain in the rolling mill frame according to the invention. After the constructional components of the dismounting side have been released in this manner, the assembly units 12 and 14 together with the roll set can be withdrawn and travel thereafter as illustrated in FIG. 4 on the rails 19 of a rapid interchange device on which a new roll set mountedin assembly units may already be in readiness. The screw-downcups 60 are also removed and can be pre-adjusted, 'e.g., in a workshop to a level corresponding to a desired rolling gap. A; plan view of assembly units together with rolls, chocks and screw-down cups is illustrated in FIG. 5.

The universal rolling mill frame may alternatively be arranged in the form of a two high rolling mill frame. In this case assembly units 12 or 14 are used which do not possess the recesses visible in FIG. 2 for guiding the vertical roll chocks 10, 11. Since in two high operation spindle heads 62, 63 which can be seen in FIG. 1,'

have a smaller spacing from one another, the transverse yoke 43 must be transferred in this case to the position 43 indicated in FIG. 3 by appropriate use in the manner already described of the hydraulic devices 58 and the support rails 59.

What is claimed is:

1. A universal rolling mill frame with adjustable horitransverse yokes of the stands.

zontal and vertical rolls which are disposed in a vertical plane and the chocks of which are guided in withdrawable wall members which 'are adapted to be inserted into window openings of the two stands of the rolling mill frame wherein, for direct guidance of the chocks of the vertical rolls, recesses are provided in the wall members and the wall members together with the roll set can be withdrawn laterally, wherein each of the two wall members comprises an assembly unit which is of U-shape structure owing to a running roller shaft, which assembly units can be secured in the stands, the assembly units together with the roll set and chocks being adapted to be withdrawn from the frame after removal of a transverse yoke located on the dismounting side of the frame and carrying a screw-down device for a vertical roll, wherein at least the transverse yoke on the dismounting side of the frame can be'securely connected to and easily removed from horizontal columns by means of anchor ties, the horizontal columns being cast in one piece with the stand columns.

2. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 1, wherein the anchor ties are pivotally connected to the horizontal columns, wherein the transverse yoke is provided in the region of the one anchor tiewith a slot for pivoting the anchor tie away and the other anchor tie together with the transverse yoke is adapted to be laterally swung away, and wherein the weight of the transverse yoke is supported during the pivotal movement thereof.

3. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 2, wherein the transverse yoke which can be swung away carries at least one running roller which is supported during the pivotal movement of the yoke on a horizontal support. Y I

4. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 1, wherein the vertical wall parts of the assembly units are provided withmutually facing pairs of bevelled surfaces which are arranged to be engaged by wedge-like securing members disposed at the ends of pressure rods, the pressure rods being linearly guided in upper 5. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 4, comprising a balancing device which engages the chocks of the upper horizontal rolls by means of tie rods, wherein in each stand the tie rods and'the pressure rods provided with the wedge-like securing members are connected to a common cross beam and the cross beams are arranged to be displaced upwardly relatively to the pressure rods by hydraulic power units.

through the upper transverse yokes of the stands. 

1. A universal rolling mill frame with adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls which are disposed in a vertical plane and the chocks of which are guided in withdrawable wall members which are adapted to be inserted into window openings of the two stands of the rolling mill frame wherein, for direct guidance of the chocks of the vertical rolls, recesses are provided in the wall members and the wall members together with the roll set can be withdrawn laterally, wherein each of the two wall members comprises an assembly unit which is of U-shape structure owing to a running roller shaft, which assembly units can be secured in the stands, the assembly units together with the roll set and chocks being adapted to be withdrawn from the frame after removal of a transverse yoke located on the dismounting side of the frame and carrying a screw-down device for a vertical roll, wherein at least the transverse yoke on the dismounting side of the frame can be securely connected to and easily removed from horizontal columns by means of anchor ties, the horizontal columns being cast in one piece with the stand columns.
 2. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 1, wherein the anchor ties are pivotally connected to the horizontal columns, wherein the transverse yoke is provided in the region of the one anchor tie with a slot for pivoting the anchor tie away and the other anchor tie together with the transverse yoke is adapted to be laterally swung away, and wherein the weight of the transverse yoke is supported during the pivotal movement thereof.
 3. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 2, wherein the transverse yoke which cAn be swung away carries at least one running roller which is supported during the pivotal movement of the yoke on a horizontal support.
 4. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 1, wherein the vertical wall parts of the assembly units are provided with mutually facing pairs of bevelled surfaces which are arranged to be engaged by wedge-like securing members disposed at the ends of pressure rods, the pressure rods being linearly guided in upper transverse yokes of the stands.
 5. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 4, comprising a balancing device which engages the chocks of the upper horizontal rolls by means of tie rods, wherein in each stand the tie rods and the pressure rods provided with the wedge-like securing members are connected to a common cross beam and the cross beams are arranged to be displaced upwardly relatively to the pressure rods by hydraulic power units.
 6. A universal rolling mill frame according to claim 5, wherein the vertical wall parts of the assembly units are provided, in the region of the upper horizontal roll chocks, with recesses for receiving U-shaped rails having limbs which are inclined towards each other, lower limbs thereof being arranged to engage behind projections of the chocks and upper limbs thereof being arranged to be engaged from behind by pawls which are rotatably connected in an easily pivotable manner to the tie rods of the balancing device which extend through the upper transverse yokes of the stands. 